The short answer is, it depends. Some organisations won’t have both a CEO and a managing director. When they do, the CEO position generally sits at the top of the hierarchy. But that can also depend on a number of factors in the organisational structure.
Here’s an overview of the responsibilities of a managing director vs. CEO.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in an organisation is responsible for the strategic direction and financial viability of the business. A CEO isn’t so much involved with day-to-day operations but serves as a link between the board of directors and the company.
Depending on the size and structure of the organisation, the responsibilities of a CEO may include:
The responsibility for daily operations generally falls to the managing director of a business. A senior role in the organisation, the managing director works with different parts of the business to help them achieve their strategic objectives.
The duties of a managing director may include:
Despite the differences between a CEO and a managing director, there are several skills or capabilities that are consistent across both roles.
While both roles share a similar salary level, entrepreneur and CEO Colin Anstie cautions against entering this type of role for the money.
“It’s a gritty, gruelling, stressful, hard job,” he says. “I think the media glamorises it, but it is really hard every day. Don’t ever do it for the money.”
In some cases, a CEO will also hold the role of managing director. In this case, there will be many crossovers between the roles. Other CEO and manager or managing director crossover skills include:
Anstie says that the type of people who succeed in these roles need to have an open mindset to learn all the different skills required.
“You need to be handy in most areas of business in order to run a successful business, so curiosity is a great trait to have,” he explains. “The other skills that are critical are resilience, sound financial understanding and a certain charm that makes people want to work with and for you.”
If you’re planning a career change or climbing the corporate ladder to get to the top job, it’s important to understand your strengths and skills. If you’re somebody who is a visionary thinker and enjoys strategy, you may lean more towards the CEO role. If you’re more comfortable in the operations of a business and bringing strategy to life, the managing director role may be a better match.
As Anstie progressed his career, he focused on building the skills he would need to lead his own business one day. Consider what you’ll need to succeed in a management interview and beyond. Then you can chase those skills as you progress through your career.
“I did an apprenticeship of sorts by working my way through different roles in different organisations,” he explains. “I mastered the skills I needed before I was ready to make the leap into my own business.”
Anstie also completed an MBA, something that he says has played a big role in his success.
What skills does an MBA give you? Other than powerful connections with other senior managers and CEOs, Anstie says that he learned a mix of crucial hard and soft skills that he has used in his role.
“An MBA is a huge personal confidence builder,” he explains. “You get thrown into so many uncomfortable situations, such as dealing with live case studies. This helps you to develop the skills you need to deal with humans, team members, clients and deadlines.”
Not to mention that MBA graduate salaries do typically trend higher across senior management positions.
An MBA can help to propel your career in the direction you want to take it. From building valuable connections to developing a strong general management skill base, never underestimate the power of an MBA.
Gaining relevant education and experience is the key to moving up the corporate ladder.
Before committing to an MBA based on the reputation or location of a university, consider the units you will study and the learning outcomes. The following courses from Australian universities will give you relevant knowledge and skills to work towards a senior role in the industry.
James Cook University’s MBA will make you capable of making strategic decisions based on a holistic view of global trends and data-driven insights. The MBA by RMIT focuses on teaching students about innovation, design thinking and transformative business strategies. Victoria University positions its MBA students to develop financial, strategic and analytical skills required of senior business leaders. Finish your postgraduate degree understanding contemporary management operations, knowing how to solve complex issues and managing financial and technological challenges by completing your MBA at Southern Cross University.
To get started in your MBA journey, contact us to speak with a Student Enrolment Advisor. We can help you to navigate the different online MBA options and choose a course best suited to your needs.
Whether you’re ready to enrol, or just have a quick question, simply fill out the enquiry form below to speak directly to the university’s enrolment team. They will be able to guide you through:
